WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Stephen Dixon and Geoff Platt each lit the lamp for the Portland Pirates, but former mate Tim Brent scored the game-winner with less than one minute to play in regulation, lifing the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to a 3-2 win in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Wachovia Arena on Saturday night. Wilkes-Barre will go on to face the Chicago Wolves in the Calder Cup final, which begins Thursday in Chicago.

The Penguins carried over their momentum from last night when they got on the board first at the 9:54 mark of the first frame. Dave Gove fired a shot from the right wing circle which redirected off of J.S. Aubin’s right pad and out in front of the net. The puck then deflected off Portland defenseman Brendan Mikkelson’s skate and into the cage. It was Goves’ 3rd goal of the postseason and was assisted by Alex Goligoski.

At the 17:30 mark, the Penguins took a 2-0 advantage when Ryan Stone notched his 4th goal of the playoffs. Dave Gove took the initial shot from the top of the right wing circle and Stone picked up the rebound at the near side slot, sending a wrist shot inside the left post and beating Pirates’ keeper Jean-Sebastien Aubin on the glove side.

Portland got on the board to bring the game within one goal midway through the second frame at the 10:10 mark. Bobby Ryan rushed into the offensive zone, stick handling his way to the slot and sent a backhand shot across the front of the crease to Stephen Dixon who sent the puck to the back of the cage and beat John Curry on his blocker side. They evened up the game at two while the teams were skating 4-on-4.

Geoff Platt raced down the right wing boards into the offensive zone and sent a blistering back hand shot towards the right post. The puck ended up in the crease and behind Curry.

Pirates netminder J.S. Aubin turned aside 37 shots in the loss and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton goalie John Curry stopped 30 shots in the win.